


preening.

by graycloudsfillthesky



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben is smol, Brotherly Love, Good Brother Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus gives good advice wrapped in jokes, Panic Attacks, Set Within "Dodging Lightning" Chapter 1, This is P U R E, Vague Descriptions of Blood, Wings!AU, but oh well, but. uh. it's... content? so here you go., except, incest can fuck off, maybe i'll write more. idk., so this is kinda really bad?, this was NOT what i had originally planned, um idk, we stan our pure sons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 00:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18128738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graycloudsfillthesky/pseuds/graycloudsfillthesky
Summary: Four helps Six clean his wings. They bond as brothers.Somehow, Klaus manages to keep his feathers perfectly untarnished.(a one-shot, set in chapter one of Dodging Lightning, my Wings!AU.)





	preening.

**Author's Note:**

> this is low-key shit but ehhhhh.  
> it's one in the morning send donuts
> 
> if anything is messed up, do tell.

Four padded down the hallway to Six’s room, quietly pondering. In his hands, he held as many blankets and pillows that he could carry, as well as some towels. He had work to do.

He knocked on Six’s closed door. “Six?” he asked. His voice was soft, reminiscent of the time he had found a stray puppy in the alleyway beside the house. “Can I come in?”

He heard a sniff from inside, obviously muffled. “Yeah-yeah. Sure.” Six opened the door, dodging back inside to where he had blatantly been huddling before. Smudges of blood littered the walls, swiped off from Six’s wings. It was a pitiful sight. Four let out a quiet, sad-sounding sigh from his nose, and dropped the pillows and blankets on Six’s mostly-clean bed.

“Hey, Six?”

“Ye-yeah?”

"D’you want me to, uh… help you clean your wings?” Four asked, voice still the careful-soft it was earlier. He held up a towel to Six, who risked a look upwards. It seemed that the genuine expression in his voice was enough to draw him out of the ball he had curled into, face blank until he caught Four’s concerned gaze. He broke into gasping sobs, shaking with the force of them.

“Four-” Six cut himself off in a sob, shrinking into himself again. His wings, folded against his back, unfurled to curl around him. The blood had long been dried, but the brown-red was still crusted into the feathers.

Four blinked back his own tears, knowing he had to be his brother’s rock. He had to be strong so that Six wouldn’t see he wasn’t okay. He padded forward, so, _so careful,_ and whispered to his brother, “Six. Hey, hey, Six. It’s gonna be alright. Shhhhh.” He murmured such things until Six unraveled his wing-cocoon. When he did such, Four wrapped his arms around him and rested his head on Six’s.

Four could feel Six’s tears on his neck, a companion to the jumbled nonsense he was stuttering out. He shushed him.

“Breathe, Six. _Breathe.”_ Four internally grimaced from the sharp sting of Six’s nails digging into his arm, but didn’t move to stop anything.

Eventually, Six’s breathing evened out, but was still shakily labored. “Hey,” Four said softly. He reached behind himself to get a towel. “Six, I was serious about, uh, what I asked earlier, if you’re up for that…?”

Six nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah.”

Four, supporting Six, slowly stood up. “I can’t really--well. I need some water. Can you walk with me?”

Six breathed a sigh from his nose, raising a hand to wipe his face. He nodded.

  
  
Some time later, after a period neither long nor short, Six was wrapped cozily in a towel. His brother had filled up the bathtub with warm water, and grabbed a dark-colored towel. “You mind, uh-” Four gestured to his still somewhat folded wings. “-lettin’ me get these?”

Six did as such, breathing out heavily. “Four?” He gulped, tilting his head back. “Am I… am I a freak?”

_Oh, Six,_ Four thought, brows crinkling as he gently scrubbed at some oxidized blood. “Of course not, brother dear! You’re just _different_.” He jabbed Six’s side. “These little shits don’t make you what you are as a person.” He smiled wryly, though Six couldn’t see him. “Besides, I don’t think any of us were ever going to “fit in.”” The air quotes could be heard in his tone, and Six blew air from his nose in amusement.

“Do you think people are-are afraid of me?”

“Of course. But Six, everyone is afraid of the things they don’t know.” Four pulled his arms away from Six, only to rest his head on Six’s shoulder a moment later, grinning wildly. “Except me.”

Six snorted. “Oh, wow. _Really?”_

“Wha- _at?_ You’re being _mean,”_ Four pouted. He changed his voice into some over-the-top accent. “Art thou implying that I, a _respectable_ young man, would lie about such a thing?” He threw a hand to his forehead, swooning.

Six smacked the back of Four’s head with his now cleaner wing.

“Ow! You little _bastard!”_

Six threw his head back in a laugh, joining Four’s. It was the happiest moment he had had in a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

> if it hadn't been so early and I had any inspiration, I would write more. if you liked this and want to see an alternate, lengthier ending, just funnel me positive attention. anyway, hope you all enjoyed.


End file.
